Mounting bracket for support post of fitness apparatus

ABSTRACT

A mounting bracket has a sleeve body and at least one fastener. The sleeve body has two clamping portions, a welding extension and an insertion hole and two clamping tabs. The clamping portions are disposed adjacent to each other and each has an end. The ends of the clamping portions are opposite to each other and separated by a gap. The welding extension is formed on and protrudes from a bottom end of one of the clamping portions. The clamping tabs are respectively formed on and protrude from the clamping portions and each clamping tab has at least one mounting hole. The fastener is mounted through corresponding mounting holes. When a support post is inserted into the insertion hole, the clamping portions are drawn together by the fastener to fully contact a surface of the support post and firmly clamp the support post.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mounting bracket, especially to a mounting bracket that provides stable, yet adjustable structural alignment.

2. Description of the Related Art

In order to facilitate assembling and enhance structure stability, conventional fitness apparatuses often use mounting brackets for mounting support posts of the fitness apparatus on a base.

With reference to FIG. 4, a conventional fitness apparatus is mounted on a base (90) and has at least one support post (91) connected to the base (90). A mounting bracket (92) formed in a curved plate-shaped is welded on a distal end of the support post (91) and attached to a mounting portion of the base (90) by screws. Stability between the support post (91) and the base (90) is based on whether the mounting bracket (92) can perfectly fit the surface of the mounting portion of the base (90) or not. However connection between foregoing mechanisms inevitably have a certain deviation due to engineering tolerance related to precision of equipment used to manufacture the base (90), support post (91) and mounting bracket (92). Therefore the mounting bracket (92) and the base (90) may not be perfectly fit each other and the structure will not be as stable as expected and might be unsafe.

FIG. 5 shows another conventional mounting bracket (80) having a mounting sleeve and an insert hole (81). The mounting sleeve is welded on a base (90′). The insert hole (81) is formed through the mounting sleeve, corresponds to and is mounted around a support post (91′) of a fitness apparatus. After being inserted into the insert hole (81), the support post (91′) is screwed to the mounting bracket (80) with multiple screws (82), the fitness apparatus is then securely mounted on the base (90′). Inevitably combination of the mounting bracket (80) and the support post (91′) has a certain deviation of allowance. Therefore the mounting bracket (80) may not precisely fit the support post (91′) and a gap may be formed between the mounting bracket (80) and the support post (91′). Since bottom end of the mounting bracket (80) is firmly welded on the base (90′), the mounting bracket (80) is unable to be adjusted to fit the support post (91′). If gap is big enough, the support post (91′) vibrates reduces structural stability and leading to safety issues.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a mounting bracket to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a mounting bracket that provides structural adjustment for improving shortcomings caused by mechanical deviations.

The mounting bracket in accordance with the present invention has a sleeve body and at least one fastener.

The sleeve body is formed by bending a metallic sheet and has two clamping portions, a welding extension and an insertion hole and two clamping tabs. The clamping portions are disposed adjacent to each other and each has an end. The ends of the clamping portions are opposite to each other and separated by a gap. The welding extension is formed on and protrudes from a bottom end of one of the clamping portions. The clamping tabs are respectively formed on and protrude from the clamping portions and each clamping tab has at least one mounting hole. The fastener is mounted through corresponding mounting holes. When a support post is inserted into the insertion hole, the clamping portions are drawn together by the fastener to fully contact a surface of the support post and firmly clamp the support post.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a mounting bracket in accordance with the present invention showing assembly of the mounting bracket, a base and a support post;

FIG. 2 is another partial perspective view of the mounting bracket in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operational and cross sectional view of the mounting bracket in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional mounting bracket applied to connect a support to a base of a fitness apparatus; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another conventional mounting bracket applied to connect a support and a base of a fitness apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a mounting bracket in accordance with the present invention may be applied in assembling a fitness apparatus to connect a support post (40) of said fitness apparatus and a base (30). The mounting bracket comprises a sleeve body (10) and at least one fastener (50).

The sleeve body (10) is formed by casting or bending a resilient metal sheet and has two clamping portions (11, 12), a welding extension (20), an insertion hole (13), two clamping tabs (14) and at least one through hole (17). The clamping portions (11, 12) are disposed adjacent to each other and each clamping portion (11, 12) has an end. The ends of the clamping portions (11, 12) are opposite to each other and separated by a gap. The welding extension (20) is formed on and protrudes from a bottom end of one of the clamping portions (11, 12), for being securely welded on the base (30) and thereby forms a welded edge (21). The insertion hole (13) is formed between the clamping portions (11, 12) and may be elliptical in cross section. The clamping tabs (14) are respectively formed on and protrude from the clamping portions (11, 12) and each clamping tab (14) has at least one mounting hole (15). The at least one mounting hole (15) of one clamping tab (14) aligns with a corresponding mounting hole (15) of the other clamping tab (14). The at least one through hole (17) is formed through the sleeve body (10). When the support post (40) is inserted into the insertion hole (13), the through hole (17) allows a fixing member to be adjustably mounted therethrough to lock the support post (40).

The at least one fastener (50) is mounted through corresponding mounting holes (15) of the clamping tabs (14), may be a quick release fastener, nut and bolt or the like, and adjustably forces the clamping tabs (14) of the clamping portions (11, 12) closer to clamp a support post (40) in the insertion hole (13).

With further reference to FIG. 3, when the support post (40) is mounted in the insertion hole (13), a space exists between the support post (40) and the sleeve body (10). By tightening the at least one fastener (50), the clamping portions (11, 12) are forced to move closer to fully contact a surface of the support post (40). Hence the mounting bracket firmly clamps the support post (40).

The clamping portions (11, 12) of the mounting bracket provide compensation to required structure deviation between the support post and the mounting bracket. Therefore the support post (30) can be securely connected to the base (30) via the mounting bracket and thereby meet requirements of structure stability and safety.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent, indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A mounting bracket used for connecting a support post and a base comprising: a sleeve body having two clamping portions disposed adjacent to each other and each clamping portion has an end wherein the ends are opposite to each other and separated by a gap; a welding extension formed on and protruding from a bottom end of one of the clamping portions for being securely welded on the base; an insertion hole formed between the clamping portions for mounting around the support post; and two clamping tabs respectively formed on and protruding from the clamping portions and each clamping tab having at least one mounting hole aligning with the a corresponding mounting hole of the other clamping tab; and at least one fastener mounted through the mounting holes of the clamping tabs and adjustably forcing the clamping tabs closer.
 2. The mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one fastener comprises a nut and bolt.
 3. The mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve body further has at least one through hole formed through the sleeve body and a fixing member is adjustably mounted through the through hole.
 4. The mounting bracket as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sleeve body further has at least one through hole formed through the sleeve body and a fixing member is adjustably mounted through the through hole. 